Poinsettia plant named ‘Future Pink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Future Pink’, characterized as having relatively uniform, salmon-pink bract color; small to medium sized inflorescences with distinctly curled bracts; intense medium-green foliage with somewhat twisted leaf blade and with slightly undulated margins; moderately compact and well-branched, round plant habit; and medium to moderately late flowering response.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Euphorbiapulcherrima.

Variety denomination: Future Pink.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofpoinsettia plant known by the variety denomination ‘Future Pink’, andbotanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima.

‘Future Pink’ was derived from a naturally occurring mutation in thevariety ‘Future’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/590,012,abandoned), commercially known as ‘Caroussel’.

The mutation was discovered by the inventor, Eric Voogt, in hisgreenhouse in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, in November, 2000,among a group of flowering plants. The plant was selected for itssalmon-pink colored bracts. The plant was left to develop vegetativeshoots, which were cut by the inventor and used for propagation (firstasexual reproduction) in the spring of 2001. The resulting plantsappeared uniform with respect to both the curling of the bracts and thesalmon-pink bract color. This result was confirmed when the propagationand examination was repeated on a larger scale in the fall of 2002.

Horticultural examination of the clone starting in 2001 and continuingthereafter has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘Future Pink’ are firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of ‘Future Pink’, which in combinationdistinguish this Poinsettia as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Relatively uniform, salmon-pink bract color;

2. small to medium sized inflorescences with distinctly curled bracts;

3. intense medium-green foliage with somewhat twisted leaf blade andwith slightly undulated margins;

4. moderately compact and well-branched, round plant habit; and

5. medium to moderately late flowering response.

‘Future Pink’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day-length. Thfollowing observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Hillscheid, Germany, under greenhouse conditions whichapproximate those generally used in commercial practice.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similarin comparison to ‘Future Pink’ is the parent cultivar ‘Future’, and thevariety ‘Winterrose Pink’ (unpatented, Plant Breeder's Rightsdenomination ‘Eckaddis’).

‘Future’ is characterized by brilliant red colored bracts with wavy andcurled margins, medium green foliage with somewhat wavy margins, andmedium tall, round plant habit. In contrast to the scarlet-red floweredcultivar ‘Future’, ‘Future Pink’ has salmon-pink colored bracts.Furthermore, plant habit of ‘Future Pink’ is slightly smaller than thatof ‘Future’.

In comparison to ‘Winterrose Pink’, ‘Future Pink’ has clearlydifferently shaped bracts, which are horizontally or slightly upwarddirected. In contrast to that, the bracts of ‘Winterrose-Pink’ areincurved and downwards directed forming an almost closed, sphericallyshaped inflorescence. Furthermore, ‘Future Pink’ has a medium greenfoliage in contrast to the dark green foliage of ‘Winterrose Pink’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color photographic drawing shows typical inflor scenceand foliag of ‘Future Pink’, with colors being as true as possibl withillustrations of this type. The photograph shows a mature potted plant.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plants described were grown in a greenhouse in Hillscheid, Germany,in the fall of 2002. Rooted cuttings were planted into 14 cm pots onJuly 25, and were pinched on August 8, leaving 7-8 leaves. Initially,the temperature was between a minimum of 19° C. and 24.5° C. maximum(ventilation temperature), and lower beginning October 1, minimum 16° C.to 23°. The plants initiated flowers under short-day conditions undernatural short-day conditions in fall, no black cloth was applied.Observations and measurements were mainly taken in mid December, whenthe plants were in full flower and about 20 weeks old.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.). The color values weredetermined indoors in a north light.

Plant:

Form.—Shrub, self-branching.

Growth habit.—Medium vigor, but relatively compact plant habit,well-branched pinched plants are bushy and round in shape.

Height (above soil line).—22.0 cm.

Width.—37.0 cm.

Average number of branch s.—9.

Branch length.—About 19-20 cm, branch diameter: 5-6 mm.

Average number of inflorescence.—8.

Stem color.—Green, RHS 137 D to light green, RHS 144 B, near tips, novisible anthocyanin.

Internode length.—15-20 mm.

Rooting.—Fast to medium, sufficiently rooted for transplanting afterabout 20-24 days in a greenhouse at a temperature of 22-24° C.

Blooming habit.—Begin under natural short day conditions in fall;botanically (cyathia open): around December 1, commercially (bractscolored, marketable): in early to mid-December.

Flowering response time.—About 10 weeks.

Foliage:

Shape.—Ovate, with mostly rounded to truncate bases, only very weaklobes, and acuminate tips.

Margin.—Mostly entire, somewhat wavy, occasionally with a few irregularnotches.

Texture.—Upper surface: not completely flat, but often somewhat twisted,only weakly veined; lower surface: slightly protruding midrib and finerside veins in a pinnate patt rn.

Vein coloration.—Upper and low r surface pale light green, RHS 145 C.

Leaf blade size.—Length: 10.5 cm; average width 6.8 cm.

Petiole.—Length 3.5-4 cm.

Quantity.—About 55-65 leaves per plant.

Color.—Generally medium green, uniform. Mature foliage: upper surface,RHS 137 A; under surface, RHS 138 B. New foliage: upper side: RHS 144 A,partly 137 D; under side: RHS 143 C.

Leaf petiole.—Upper side: brownish-pink, near RHS 47 C; lower side:light green, RHS 144 B.

Aspect.—Petioles are horizontally or slightly upward directed, with theleaf blades held almost horizontally.

Disease resistance: No special observations made.

Flowering description:

Whole inflorescence with surrounding bracts.—A small to medium sizedring of relatively short, curled bracts which are horizontal to somewhatupward directed.

Diameter.—About 13.8 cm.

Height.—30-35 mm.

Number of bracts per inflorescence.—7-9 (size over 2 cm).

Keeping quality.—Good quality will be maintained for about 4 weeks atminimum, no drooping bracts, no fading.

Bracts:

Shape.—Mostly obovate, with acute base, no lobes, and acuminate tip.

Size of the largest fully colored bract.—7.5 cm long; 4.8 cm wide.

Texture.—Leaf blades appear curled, with strong undulation at themargins.

Vein color.—Upper side corresponds closely to bract color; lower side:pale green, RHS 150 D or cream, RHS 159 B.

Color.—Generally bright pink; upper surface mainly RHS 43 C, somewhatdeeper near the midrib: near RHS 47 A, possibly lighter near margins ofthe lowest bracts: RHS 39 B; lower surface main part RHS 43 C, in themiddle of the leaf often greenish, approx. RHS 145 A.

Petiole.—10-15 mm long; upper side color RHS 43 B; lower side pale lightgreen 150 D.

Cyme.—15-18 mm in diameter, 7-10 cyathia borne in a tight cluster.

Cyathium.—Ovate, about 5 mm in diameter, medium to light green colored,RHS 143 B, top dull orange-pink, RHS 47 C.

Peduncle.—Light green, RHS 144 B, partly pink, RHS 47 C, about 4 mmlong.

Nectar cups.—One or two per cyathium, about 3-5 mm wide, orange coloredRHS 33 A to 33 B.

Reproductive organs:

Stamens.—Not always developed, about 10-15 in a cluster, filamentsshort, 2-3 mm, reddish, RHS 47 A; little to moderate pollen, yellow, RHS12 A.

Pistil.—Style pink, RHS 51 B, and red stigma, RHS 46B, stigmatrifurcate, 6-lobed.

Ovaries.—Light to medium green, RHS 143 B, initially obovate, initially3 mm in diameter, 4-5 mm long, later larger and triangular, 3 ovules.

Fruit/seed set.—No seed set observed, but appears to be fertile.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Future Pink’ asillustrated and described herein.